Chopper Profiles

Choppers have once been the province of a small cadre of enthusiasts, but they have since hit the big time. Thanks in large part to exposure on national television and cable shows, their combination of sight and sound has made them the equivalent of mobile celebrities.

But choppers as a breed are really not new. In fact, they can trace their heritage to the late 1940s, when surplus military bikes were stripped of unnecessary parts and given homemade paint jobs to become "Bobbers." Bikes sprouting extended forks, stepped saddles, tall sissy bars, and wild paint schemes appeared in the late '60s as "Choppers," and the die was cast.

Today, choppers take many different forms. Old School bikes favor the minimalist styling of Bobbers, Early Choppers the look of their original namesakes. Factory and Factory Modified customs from relatively small companies can be purchased right off the showroom floor, while Radicals are ornate rides that can take many months -- and dollars -- to build. Pro Street bikes lean toward performance, and choppers that fall through the categorical cracks can be termed Special Construction. In some cases, bikes employ traits of more than one class, making them difficult to place -- though we've tried to anyway.

The following pages provide links to pictures, specifications, and stories of individual custom motorcycles. Custom bikes tend to incorporate fascinating details that aren't obvious from 50 feet away, so each chopper includes detailed photos to strut its stuff. Profiles are accompanied by a specification chart listing dimensions and features, and a chopper glossary explains some of the terms used in the spec charts and descriptions.

Many books and television shows have highlighted bikes from the big-name, high-volume builders. What's focused in these articles are choppers built by lesser-known but equally talented shops and individuals, most of whom produce only a handful of machines a year -- and often come up with truly fascinating creations. These bikes provide a look not only at where the chopper phenomenon came from, but also where it's heading. We hope you enjoy the trip.

The first stop explores the unique features of Early Choppers, found on the next page.

For more information on custom choppers and motorcycles, see:

Early Chopper Profiles

Captain America played a huge role in the filmEasy Rider, and today is probably the best-knownchopper in the world.

Early choppers first appeared in the 1960s and 1970s. They typically carried long forks, stepped "King and Queen" seats, and wild paint jobs. Most were based on Harley-Davidsons, British twins, or Honda's 750 Four. Later models sported really long forks, along with tall sissy bars and "ape hanger" handlebars. So popular were these choppers that many recent builds mimic their decades-old styling themes.

Follow the links below for detailed photos, specifications, and descriptions of unique Early Choppers.

This 1958 Harley-Davidson FLH chopper was first customized in 1969 and has been redone five times since then. See how decades of hard labor and creativity paid off through photos of this custom motorcycle.

The Cherry Chopper started out as a 1978 Harley-Davidson FXE. Check out these descriptions and photos of this custom motorcycle, including details of the cherry red paint scheme that gave this chopper its name.

Captain America, perhaps the best-known chopper in the world, first appeared in the film Easy Rider and is now on display at the National Motorcycle Museum. Find out how this custom bike defines the chopper breed.

The next section outlines custom motorcycles of the Old School class.

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Old School Chopper Profiles

The Hobo is an Old School chopper with Schwinnbicycle handgrips and a jet ski throttle.

Old School choppers are fashioned after Bobbers of the late 1940s and '50s that were often built from stripped military surplus bikes, putting an emphasis on lean and mean. Engines typically are -- or mimic -- older Harley-Davidson V-twins. Hot Rods of the period also lend an influence, so the bikes have a simple, retro look generally devoid of the stretched proportions and forced sheetmetal of many other choppers.

Follow the links below to see detailed photos, specifications, and descriptions of individual Old School choppers.

The Suicide Jockey chopper incorporates a combination of both vintage and modern thought, resulting in an Old School custom motorcycle unlike any other. See photos and specifications for the Suicide Jockey.

The next page takes a closer look at Special Construction custom choppers.

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Special Construction Chopper Profiles

Special Construction choppers are typically built largely from factory- or catalog-supplied components, but with several unique twists -- and since an aftermarket frame is often among them, they usually aren't just stock bikes with added accessories. In some cases, bikes fall into this category simply because they didn't fit comfortably anywhere else. And for many people, a chopper that's difficult to categorize makes it all the more appealing.

The following articles provide detailed photos, specifications, and descriptions of unique Special Construction choppers.

The Double Trouble chopper has a Harley Fat Bob fuel tank with a skunk pelt replacing its original top-mounted instrument panel, giving this custom motorcycle the nickname "Stinky." See photos and specifications here.

It took nearly two decades to convert this original 1955 Harley-Davidson into the Purple Haze chopper. See pictures of this custom motorcycle's V-twin engine, blue-to-red chameleon paint, and Harley-Davidson logo.

The features on the 2004 Model P by Lifted Leg Customs include a Kraft Tech hardtail frame, a set of Harley-Davidson Wide Glide forks, and a Harley Evo V-twin engine. Check out close-up pictures of these details.

The Astrozombie is truly a custom-built chopper, from its Cummins diesel engine piston to the early Ford stop-lamp taillight. Learn about this 2005 Special Construction custom motorcycle through pictures and specs.

This 1998 Sportster was built by Klock Werks in the "Sportster Capital" of the United States. View pictures of the special touches on this custom motorcycle, such as the five-spoke wheels and the subtle skull motif.

Check out the next page to visit links to Factory and Factory-modified custom choppers.

For more information on custom choppers and motorcycles, see:

Factory and Factory-Modified Chopper Profiles

The Shady Lady is a Factory custom motorcyclebuilt by Wicked Women Choppers.

By "factory," we don't mean Harley-Davidson. These choppers come from smaller enterprises typically producing less than 1,000 bikes per year; by contrast, Harley builds upwards of 250,000 a year.

These companies offer several models that can be individualized with different colors and paint schemes, providing many buyers the best of both worlds: a great-looking bike that stands out in a crowd, and instant delivery -- with a warranty. Some buyers use them as merely a starting point, modifying them with their own special touches.

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Follow the links below to see detailed pictures and specifications of some of these factory-modified custom choppers.

The Slammer is a typical American IronHorse chopper with its own custom touches, such as a "rip and tear" diamond-plate paint scheme and an intricate wheel design. Take a closer look at this powerful chopper.

The Texas Chopper comes in various styles; owners can choose from different engine size, paint schemes, and wheel patterns to customize their own American IronHorse Texas Chopper. View the details here.

DD Customs built the Dropseat 280 with a War Eagle chassis, Tricky Air rear suspension, and Pro-One wheels. See pictures of the Silver Candy paint, Von Dutch-style striping, and more details on this custom motorcycle.

Check out the High Roller 280 RHD, American Performance Cycles' top-of-the-line chopper. With a 124-cubic-inch S&S engine, 6-speed transmission, and a guitar-theme paint job, this bike truly is a high roller.

For more information on custom choppers and motorcycles, see:

Radical Chopper Profiles

The Bad Moon is a 2003 Radical chopperbuilt by Kenny Rollins and Chopper Shop, Inc.

As the name implies, Radical choppers are over-the-edge creations incorporating lots of custom machine work and lavish paint jobs. Their frames and sheetmetal are rarely straight from a factory or catalog; they're usually modified or handmade and thus unique.

The "manufacturers" can be companies making a few bikes a year for well-heeled buyers, or backyard builders toiling on their own creations. But the bottom line is that the best of these stretch the imagination -- and sometimes, the limits of reason.

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The chopper profiles linked below provide descriptions, specifications, and up-close pictures of Radical choppers from around the country.

For more information on custom choppers and motorcycles, see:

Pro Street Chopper Profiles

Oftentimes, there are only subtle differences between a Factory or Radical chopper and a Pro Street bike. Typically, Pro Streets are made to look -- and run -- like race bikes, which means they usually lack the raised frames, long forks, exotic detailing, and colorful paint schemes of their flashier siblings. Though there are exceptions -- as you'll see -- many feature a stark, austere appearance that gives them a purposeful look; that of a lean, mean, street-fighting machine.

For more information on custom choppers and motorcycles, see:

Chopper Terms and Definitions

The world of choppers includes many words and terms that are not commonly used, or beg further explanation. Many of the following can be found in the text or specification charts in these chopper profiles, and often come up in any discussion of choppers.

Aftermarket companies: Producers of parts and accessories that are designed to fit on a production vehicle, but the companies don't make the vehicles themselves. In the case of choppers, these parts can include small items, like seats and mirrors, and also large ones, such as engines, transmissions, and even frames. Since many aftermarket chopper companies got their start supplying replacement parts for Harley-Davidson motorcycles, their products often resemble Harley components.

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Ape hangers: Tall handlebars.

Billet: Solid chunks of metal -- usually a light-weight aluminum alloy -- that are cut and milled to form parts such as brake arms, footpegs, and mirror mounts. The process of forming the billet is expensive, but results in a custom piece that looks far better than a standard component.

Brakes: Old-fashioned drum brakes are rare on choppers. Modern disc brakes have a large rotor that's gripped by a caliper; they work much the same way as hand brakes on a bicycle. Most motorcycles have the brake disc on one side of the rear wheel, the drive pulley (for a belt) or sprocket (for a chain) on the other side. But on some choppers, the rear disc is either part of the pulley or sprocket, or is mounted inboard on the same side of the wheel. This leaves the other side of the wheel "open," providing onlookers a better view of its fancy design.

Diamond-cut: Serrations cut into the edges of the engine's cylinder fins to make them sparkle in the light.

Engines: Most are V-twins patterned after those offered by Harley-Davidson over the years. They are built by aftermarket companies (see entry) such as S&S, Rev Tech, TP Engineering, and Ultima, and are usually larger and much more powerful than Harley's engines, which are still used in many choppers.

Aftermarket engines usually mimic the look of Harley's Evolution (more commonly called "Evo") V-twin built from 1984 to 1999, but others are made to look like the Harley-Davidson "Panhead"of 1948-65, or the "Shovelhead"

of 1966-84. The nicknames Panhead, Shovelhead, and the earlier Knucklehead (1936-47) were all coined by riders -- not Harley-Davidson -- and referred to the look of the engines' valve covers.

Final drive: The belt or chain that transfers power from the transmission to the rear wheel.

Forks: They generally come in four styles.

Telescopic: Lower "sleeves" slide up and down on tubes, compressing internal coil springs.

Inverted: the same, only upside down; the sleeves are at the top.

Springer: The wheel moves up and down on short arms; long rods connected to the arms activate coil springs at the top.

Girder: Solid forks move up and down on short arms at the top, compressing a spring. In most cases, the length of extended forks is based on the length of standard Harley-Davidson Softail forks, so if they're "10 inches over," they're 10 inches longer than stock Harley forks.

Frames: They're offered by numerous companies, but their dimensions are based on a stock Harley-Davidson Softail frame. Oftentimes, the downtube in front of the engine has been lengthened or "stretched," as has the top tube (sometimes called the "backbone") above the engine.

These alterations are often referred to as "up and out." So a frame that is "6 up, 5 out" has been stretched six inches "up" in the downtube, five inches "out" in the top tube. Some people use the term "down and back" (such as "6 down, 5 back") which means the same thing; they're just referring to stretch in the downtube and backbone.

Nitrous oxide: A gas that allows more fuel to be burned in the cylinders, resulting in more power. It is sometimes referred to as "laughing gas," as a purified form can be used as an anesthetic in surgery.

Primary drive: Often a belt, but sometimes a chain, that transfers power from the engine to the transmission. Most production motorcycles use chains, which are hidden behind covers that hold in the necessary lubricant. Most choppers use a three-inch-wide cogged belt, which requires no oil and thus no cover.

Rake: The angle of the forks, in degrees from vertical. The higher the number, the more the forks "stick out." The angle of the frame's neck determines most of the rake, but sometimes the triple trees (see entry) that hold the forks add even more rake.

Rear suspension: Many choppers are "hardtails," meaning they have no rear suspension. Others have conventional swingarms -- either straight tubes, tubes bent into a design, or tubes that form a triangle -- acting on coil springs that are usually concealed, but sometimes visible.

Stepped seat: Also known as a "King and Queen" seat, it positions the passenger high above the rider, and was a defining element of choppers from the 1960s and 1970s.

Tires: Only the rear tire is mentioned because it's the one that varies the most in width. Most standard Harley-Davidsons come with rear tires that are 130-150 mm wide -- about five to six inches. Some choppers have rear tires that are 300 mm wide, and recently, a company began offering a 360-mm tire.

Transmissions: Those built by aftermarket companies sometimes come with their final-drive sprockets or pulleys on the right side rather than the normal left-side placement. This is usually done in order to accommodate a very wide rear tire. (See Tires.) Most are conventional foot-shift transmissions with a hand-operated clutch, but some -- as noted in the specification chart -- are fitted with hand shifters and foot clutches, which were commonly used on motorcycles prior to the early 1950s.

Triple trees, or trees: Formed pieces that hold the fork legs, connecting them to the handlebars and frame neck. Some are designed to add more rake to the forks than is provided by the frame neck.

Wheels: Range from spoke-type that are relatively common and inexpensive, to one-off designs intricately milled from a solid disk of metal that can cost thousands of dollars apiece. In our specification charts, the latter usually include the supplier's name.